There is a common misconception that a visionary leader is the preferred and most necessary type of leader. Hybels refutes that as shallow thinking and states that there are at least 10 types of leadership styles that are vital. The key is that each style is needed at different times in the history of a ministry/organization and in different ways. (i.e. overall leader, specific ministry leader, etc.) He makes the case for leaders to understand their dominant style and to discern whether a given leadership opportunity needs that style.

1. Visionary – Able to see and articulate a preferred future.
2. Directional – Able to make the right decision at the key times. They have the intuition to discern which way the team should turn at crucial crossroads.
3. Strategic – When the vision is cast, this person intuitively sees and knows each step necessary to see the vision realized.
4. Managerial – Able to coordinate and keep all the vital systems and processes flowing together in excellence.
5. Motivational – Able to discern and know what people need and give it to them. Able to inspire people to keep on keeping on, as well as when to encourage them to take a rest.
6. Shepherding – Loving people and nurturing them forward. Investing in them through a pastoral style that makes people feel secure thus enabling them to move ahead.
7. Team-Building – Knows the vision and develops the right mix of people to fulfill the vision. “Puts the right puzzle pieces together to accomplish the goal.” Hybels says this is his dominant style.
8. Entrepreneurial – They have a need to launch new things continually. Wherever they are, they will create new things.
9. Re-engineering – This is a leader who loves to work a turnaround in a ministry that has lost its way.
10. Bridge-Building – Likes working at bringing complex levels of leadership and organizational systems together. Likes finding ways of keeping diverse and varied groups linked together and flowing in unity. Draws people together at the table to listen, understand, and find pathways of collaboration.

¶ 5:57 AM